European Union ambassador informed about Belarus' steps in response to EU sanctions

The press service of the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has released a statement, which lists the measures Belarus had implemented in response to the European Union's sanctions against the country, BelTA has learned.

The statement reads: “Due to the unprecedented restrictive measures against Belarus Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Belarus Dirk Schuebel was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today. The ambassador of the European Union was told that the use of sanctions as a tool to pressure a sovereign and independent country is absolutely unacceptable for Belarus. The diplomat was informed about the concrete steps Belarus is forced to take in response to the actions that threaten Belarus' national security and directly harm the country's economy and citizens.”

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Belarus' permanent representative in the European Union will be recalled to Minsk for consultations. The head of the European Union delegation to Belarus was also encouraged to go to Brussels for consultations in order to inform his superiors of the Belarusian stance on the unacceptability of pressure and sanctions.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement reads: “Apart from that, in response [to the sanctions] Belarus will deny entry to representatives of European bodies and persons from European Union countries, which have contributed to the introduction of the restrictive measures.”

Belarus will also suspend its participation in the European Union's Eastern Partnership Initiative and is launching the procedure to suspend the Belarus-European Union agreement on readmission.

The Belarusian side also continues working out other response measures, including economic ones. “We hope that officials of the European Union and its member states recognize the inferiority and hopelessness of using force in relations with Belarus. Belarus' proposals on advancing the dialogue, interaction and cooperation with the European Union on the basis of equality and mutual respect remain in effect,” the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs pointed out.